WIREDGOV

To support further progress on fulfilling the Paris Agreement, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) with support from the European Union recently (31 October 2021) launched a new Observatory to drive global action on reducing methane emissions.

The International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) was launched at the G20 Summit, on the eve of the COP26 UN climate conference in Glasgow. IMEO will bring global reporting on methane emissions to an entirely different level, ensuring public transparency on anthropogenic methane emissions. IMEO will initially focus on methane emissions from the fossil fuel sector, and then expand to other major emitting sectors like agriculture and waste.  

Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas responsible for at least a quarter of the current global warming. The recently published UNEP-Climate & Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) Global Methane Assessment states that zero or low net-cost reductions could almost halve anthropogenic methane emissions, while proven measures could cut 0.28 degrees Celsius from the forecasted rise in the planet's average temperature by 2050.

IMEO will provide the means to prioritise actions and monitor commitments made by state actors in the Global Methane Pledge – a US and EU-led effort by over thirty countries to slash methane emissions by 30 per cent by 2030.

President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, recently said:

“Methane is one of the most dangerous gases for our climate. We urgently need to reduce methane emissions to keep our climate targets in reach. Better satellite monitoring is essential and the EU is proud to support the creation of the International Methane Emissions Observatory.”

Click here for the full press release